The Valparaiso University men’s and women’s track & field teams had a busy day of competition at the GVSU Big Meet, hosted by Grand Valley State in Allendale, Mich. on Saturday. Three Beacons cracked the program’s all-time top five in their respective events.

How It Happened

• In the women’s weight throw, Tori Gerhardt (Westville, Ind. / Chesterton) finished third in a 45-athlete field, unleashing a mark of 16.67 meters (54-8.25). She cracked the program’s all-time top five, outdoing Michelle Pierce’s 2021 mark of 54-4.75 for fourth.
• In the men’s shot put, Nate Smith (Lake Station, Ind. / Lake Station) boasted a mark of 15.70m (51-6.25), third of 36. Smith’s heave ranks third in program history, topping Andrew Guzek’s 2016 mark of 51-1.5 for third. This was Valpo’s best indoor shot put since 2005.
• Smith was joined in the top 10 in the men’s shot by Josh Leathers (Streamwood, Ill. / Streamwood), whose mark of 14.17m placed ninth in the 36-person field. Elsewhere in the men’s throws, Will Rinker (Valparaiso, Ind. / Chesterton) enjoyed a top-10 finish of 50 with a mark of 15.94 in the weight.
• In the men’s 800, Noah Meacham (Tulsa, Okla. / Broken Arrow) turned in a top-10 finish with a sixth-place time of 1:54.58. He edged Nate Nunnelly’s 2003 time of 1:54.79 for third all-time.
• In the women’s one-mile run, Grace Aurand (Highland, Ind. / Highland) posted a top-10 finish, placing ninth out of 70 runners at 5:05.64.
• In the women’s shot put, Amelia Tandy (New Albany, Ind. / New Albany) led the way by heaving a distance of 11.83 meters, placing 15^th of 45. She was also 11^th in the weight throw at 14.28m.
• In the men’s mile, Simeon Ehm (Castle Rock, Colo. / Heritage) stopped the clock at 4:14.80, placing third of 64.
• In the men’s pole vault, Tristan Malatlian (Pfafftown, N.C. / Reagan) had a mark of 4.17, 12^th of 24.

Up Next

The Beacons will co-host the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championships, beginning on Sunday, Feb. 25 at Gately Park in Chicago.